There's a weird problem with some ASUS laptop models in which the built-in camera records an upside down image. This behavior is only confirmed to happen on Windows 10 computers that have made the upgrade from an older OS version.

What causes this upside down camera behavior?

After investigating the issue and looking at various user reports, it's clear that this issue is related to an incompatibility issue. Even though ASUS and Microsoft have been working closely to eliminate driver inconsistencies on Windows 10, there are some laptop models (particularly older models) that are still encountering this problem.

As of now, the only drivers that are still encountering this issue are ASUS laptops that still use the old Chicony drivers for the built-in camera.

How to fix this upside down camera behavior?

If you're currently experiencing this odd behavior and you're looking for a fix, this article will provide you with the troubleshooting steps. Below you have a collection of methods that other users in a similar situation have used to revert the camera in the default recording position.

For the best results, please follow the potential fixes in order and work your way down until you find a method that fixes the problem.

Method 1: Installing the Creator's Update

Fortunately, Microsoft has already addressed most instances of this driver incompatibility. Several hotfixes that address the issue have been released, but most affected users report that the front camera upside down problem was automatically resolved with the Creator's Update.

If you still haven't applied the Creator's Update, it's time to do so. You can do so by following this link (here) or by following the guide down below:

  1. Press Windows key + R to open up a new Run box. Then, type "ms-settings:windowsupdate" and press Enter to open the Windows Update tab of the Settings app.
  2. Inside the Windows Update tab, click on Check for updates and follow the on-screen prompts to install the pending updates.
  3. Install every driver that is not optional and reboot your computer whenever prompted. At every startup, make sure to return to the Windows Update screen to check if there are any pending updates.
  4. Once your Windows version is up to date, open your camera and check if the upside down camera behavior has been corrected.

If you're still dealing with the same problem, continue with the next method below.

Method 2: Finding the driver that corresponds with hardware

It turns out that Windows 10 is not that different to the way Windows XP used to operate – at least in this case. As some users have discovered, some camera modules installed in most ASUS laptops still rely heavily on Windows XP drivers.

Users in a similar situation have managed to resolve the issue by using Device Manager to find a driver corresponding with the hardware ID and installing it using Device manager. Here's a quick guide through the whole thing:

  1. Press Windows key + R to open up a Run window. Then, type "devmgmt.msc" and hit Enter to open up Device Manager.
  2. Inside Device Manager, expand the Imaging devices tab and double click on your built-in camera.
  3. Inside the properties screen of your built-in camera, go to the Details tab and change the drop-down menu under Property to Hardware Ids.
  4. Next, visit the official support page of your ASUS laptop model and find out the name of the camera driver that your laptop model uses. Then, download the driver that is closest to the driver hardware id previously discovered (look at the PID version in the driver description).
  5. Return to Device Manager, right-click on your built-in camera and choose Update driver. At the next prompt, choose to Browse my computer for driver software.
  6. Then, click the Browse button and select the driver that you previously downloaded.
  7. Follow the on-screen prompts to install the driver.
  8. Restart your computer and see if your camera is normal at the next startup.
    Note: You might have to try several different drivers before you find a driver that will correct the upside down behavior.

If the upside-down camera behavior is still not corrected, continue down with the next method below.

Method 3: Using a third party solution

If the methods above didn't help you to correct the upside down behavior of your built-in ASUS camera, you can also do it by using a third party solution.

This might not be the ideal approach, but you might not have a choice if your laptop model is old enough that ASUS has decided to stop supporting it. The good news is, there's one 3rd party software (ManyCam) that is free and gives you the possibility of inverting the built-in camera.

Other users have used it successfully in instances where the upside down behavior could not be corrected by replacing the drivers. Here's a quick guide on installing and using ManyCam:

  1. Visit this link (here) and download the free version of ManyCam.
  2. Open the installer and follow the on-screen prompts to install the software on your computer.
  3. Once the software is installed, open ManyCam and be patient while the software initializes.
  4. Once the 3rd-party camera is opened, use the vertical bar in the far-section of the screen to access your camera settings.
  5. Go to the Flip & rotate section and use the buttons below to adjust your camera orientation.
  6. That's it. The only inconveniences are that you will have to accommodate the ManyCam watermark and you'll have to keep the application opened whenever you use your camera to preserve this new orientation.

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Kevin is a dynamic and self-motivated information technology professional, with a Thorough knowledge of all facets pertaining to network infrastructure design, implementation and administration. Superior record of delivering simultaneous large-scale mission critical projects on time and under budget.